Ensemble explores history behind Japanese taiko drum

Danielle Nadler/VIEWJen Kong, left, lets out a shout as she strikes the taiko drum while rehearsing with fellow members of the Las Vegas Kaminari Taiko Japanese drum ensemble at 4030 Schiff Drive in Chinatown, June 3. Advertisement

Thump, thump, thump, thump ...

The sound grows louder as eight men and women pound on large taiko drums.

"Hah!" they shout in unison.

Each drummer maintains stern looks, striking the drum as if with purpose. With each thump, the air inside the warm warehouse stirs.

"It's not just about drumming," said Jen Caballero, co-director of the group called the Las Vegas Kaminari Taiko. "It's about discovering and experiencing the Japanese culture."

The Las Vegas Kaminari Taiko ensemble will perform its poignant music in one of its largest concerts ever at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Winchester Cultural Center Theater, 3130 S. McLeod Drive.

The songs chosen for the concert illustrate the ever-changing emotions of the desert, the group's co-director Wendy Dwyer said, from its harsh rainstorms to stagnate heat.

Some songs start with soft beats, then gradually build to thunderous finales. Others lead with loud thumps and carry on with upbeat rhythms. Drummers hold two mallets and strike the drums with graceful moves that resemble dance steps.

Audiences often are left speechless when they see a taiko performance for the first time, Kaminari Taiko drummer Matthew Chun said.

"You can feel it rush through you," he added. "It's hard to come up with words."

Taiko means big drum in Japanese, and it's no surprise the troupe's name, kaminari, means thunder.

"When it comes to taiko, we feel so connected with our drums," Caballero said, comparing the powerful rhythm to a heartbeat. "The dynamic of the group performing is so powerful."

Las Vegas Kaminari Taiko holds classes on Tuesday and Sunday evenings inside a small suite at 4030 Schiff Drive in Chinatown. The school claims eight students who perform regularly and seven beginning students, from 15 to 60 years old.

The group often is booked to perform in hotel-casinos along the Strip, at festivals in Chinatown and at schools. Proceeds from performances benefit the Japanese American Citizens League, the school's sponsor.

The group started in 1993, when a man named George Goto wanted to see a traditional taiko drum performance at the local Sangha Obon, a festival in August to remember the dead.

"It's become part of the Japanese culture in Vegas," Caballero said.

Traditionally, in Japan, taiko drums are played by a solo performer at festivals and in temples. As the instrument moved to the United States in the 1950s, it transformed into group performances, and more ensembles like the Las Vegas Kaminari Taiko were seen, Caballero said.

Taiko songs are not written like typical sheet music, but passed down orally. The Kaminari Taiko drummers also compose their own songs.

Caballero, a 25-year-old Filipino woman, joined the Las Vegas Kaminari Taiko to not only learn to play the drum, but to learn about the Japanese culture.

"In America, there are so many different views, but in Japan, there is one, and everyone respects each other," she said. "It's that respect that intrigues me."

Students of any culture are invited to play taiko. The performing ensemble includes a melting pot of ethnicities including Japanese, Irish, Polish, Filipino, Mexican and Chinese.

"In the taiko community, if you come to learn, we'll teach you," said Dwyer, who is a quarter Japanese, half Irish and a blend of other ethnicities. "That's what makes America great. You can eat sushi for lunch and a Filipino dish for dinner or learn African drumming one day and taiko another."

Dwyer played percussion in her high school marching and concert bands, but said she had never experienced an instrument like taiko.

"When I saw a performance up close, I thought 'that is amazing,' " she said. "They are so energized compared to Western drumming. I was hooked right away."

Las Vegas Kaminari Taiko charges an annual fee of $75 to teach students ages 21 years and younger and $85 to teach students older than 21. This fall, Caballero and Dwyer will undergo certification to teach young children taiko.

"This is a tradition we want to pass on to anyone who is willing to learn," Dwyer said. "It's a powerful tradition."

Contact Southeast and Southwest View reporter Danielle Nadler at dnadler@viewnews.com or 224-5524.

By DANIELLE NADLER

VIEW STAFF WRITER

Thump, thump, thump, thump ...

The sound grows louder as eight men and women pound on large taiko drums.

"Hah!" they shout in unison.

Each drummer maintains stern looks, striking the drum as if with purpose. With each thump, the air inside the warm warehouse stirs.

"It's not just about drumming," said Jen Caballero, co-director of the group called the Las Vegas Kaminari Taiko. "It's about discovering and experiencing the Japanese culture."

The Las Vegas Kaminari Taiko ensemble will perform its poignant music in one of its largest concerts ever at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Winchester Cultural Center Theater, 3130 S. McLeod Drive.

The songs chosen for the concert illustrate the ever-changing emotions of the desert, the group's co-director Wendy Dwyer said, from its harsh rainstorms to stagnate heat.

Some songs start with soft beats, then gradually build to thunderous finales. Others lead with loud thumps and carry on with upbeat rhythms. Drummers hold two mallets and strike the drums with graceful moves that resemble dance steps.

Audiences often are left speechless when they see a taiko performance for the first time, Kaminari Taiko drummer Matthew Chun said.

"You can feel it rush through you," he added. "It's hard to come up with words."

Taiko means big drum in Japanese and, it's no surprise the troupe's name, kaminari, means thunder.

"When it comes to taiko, we feel so connected with our drums," Caballero said, comparing the powerful rhythm to a heartbeat. "The dynamic of the group performing is so powerful."

Las Vegas Kaminari Taiko holds classes on Tuesday and Sunday evenings inside a small suite at 4030 Schiff Drive in Chinatown. The school claims eight students who perform regularly and seven beginning students, from 15 to 60 years old.

The group often is booked to perform in hotel-casinos along the Strip, at festivals in Chinatown and at schools. Proceeds from performances benefit the Japanese American Citizens League, the school's sponsor.

The group started in 1993, when a man named George Goto wanted to see a traditional taiko drum performance at the local Sangha Obon, a festival in August to remember the dead.

"It's become part of the Japanese culture in Vegas," Caballero said.

Traditionally, in Japan, taiko drums are played by a solo performer at festivals and in temples. As the instrument moved to the United States in the 1950s, it transformed into group performances, and more ensembles like the Las Vegas Kaminari Taiko were seen, Caballero said.

Taiko songs are not written like typical sheet music, but passed down orally. The Kaminari Taiko drummers also compose their own songs.

Caballero, a 25-year-old Filipino woman, joined the Las Vegas Kaminari Taiko to not only learn to play the drum, but to learn about the Japanese culture.

"In America, there are so many different views, but in Japan, there is one, and everyone respects each other," she said. "It's that respect that intrigues me."

Students of any culture are invited to play taiko. The performing ensemble includes a melting pot of ethnicities including Japanese, Irish, Polish, Filipino, Mexican and Chinese.

"In the taiko community, if you come to learn, we'll teach you," said Dwyer, who is a quarter Japanese, half Irish and a blend of other ethnicities. "That's what makes America great. You can eat sushi for lunch and a Filipino dish for dinner or learn African drumming one day and taiko another."

Dwyer played percussion in her high school marching and concert bands, but said she had never experienced an instrument like taiko.

"When I saw a performance up close, I thought that is amazing," she said. "They are so energized compared to Western drumming. I was hooked right away."

Las Vegas Kaminari Taiko charges an annual fee of $75 to teach students ages 21 years and younger and $85 to teach students older than 21. This fall, Caballero and Dwyer will undergo certification to teach young children taiko.

"This is a tradition we want to pass on to anyone who is willing to learn," Dwyer said. "It's a powerful tradition."

Contact Southeast and Southwest View reporter Danielle Nadler at dnadler@viewnews.com or 224-5524.